The gravity assisted maneuver opening the doors to the exterior solar system

Abstract

The objective of the present article is to describe the gravity-assisted maneuver, one of the pillars of space exploration, especially with respect to the most distant planets from the Sun, such as Jupiter and Saturn. This maneuver is also known as a swing-by maneuver. Its objective is to change the velocity, energy and angular momentum of a space vehicle using a passage close to a massive celestial body, like the planets of the Solar System. Initially, a historical review of this topic is presented, showing the main theoretical and applied references related to this item. Next, a mathematical treatment of this problem is made based on a sequence of interactions of two bodies, using basic vector calculus. The main results are derived from this simple model.

Keywords
Astrodynamics; Swing-by; Orbital Maneuvers; Space Missions; Space Engineering.